With Thanksgiving only a few short weeks away, panic mode may be setting in if you’re still trying to get a party underway. Have no fret though, there’s still plenty of time to come up with an amazing Thanksgiving party that will leave your guests feeling the warmth of the season. Of course, if money is on your mind then there’s still no need to worry because you can still pull off an amazing holiday event without having to break the budget. With a few simple tricks and a little help from friends and family, your holiday party will have everyone enjoying themselves in no time at all. So, grab your favorite recipes and start planning, because these tips are ready to help you cut the costs!
1. Handcrafted Decor
If you’re a little short on decor this year then don’t run out and buy a whole bunch of items that will cut into your budget. Instead, let your creative juices flow and make your own. There’s lots of holiday crafts out there that don’t take a lot of time to make and they look like they cost you a small fortune. You can also put the kids to work on some of the crafts, which will make your home look warmer and more family friendly. Of course, you could kill two birds with one stone by allowing your guests to help you decorate. Before everyone shows up, put up a few simple items like leaves or foods to set the mood. Then, set up a craft table with a few different projects to try out. This is perfect for keeping the kids occupied and it will help you get your place decorated and ready to go before the feast makes its way to the table. You can even host a competition for the best crafts of the day. You won’t have to go all out on the price either. After all, only two people can break the wishbone and there’s always that last piece of pie everyone has their eye on!
2. Bring on the Potluck
One of the best ways to cut down on your holiday meal is to skip making everything for yourself. If you’re feeding a lot of people then this can really add up. Not to mention, it’s pretty time consuming! Rather than biting off more than you chew before the party even begins, try to ask people to bring their signature dish. If everyone can confirm something before they come then you can work around their dishes to make sure there is enough food to fill everyone up. Of course, this will also allow you to spend a bit more on the main course. Plus, with only your few items going in the kitchen, you’ll be able to baby the main dish to make sure it will blow everyone away when they try it. Potlucks are great in the sense that everyone gets a chance to share a piece of their tradition with the rest of the group, which makes for great stories that will entertain during the feast.
3. Shop Smart
One of the best ways to save during this holiday is to use your smart shopper skills. First and foremost, you should always follow the golden rule: don’t fall for the brand names. You can usually find a generic form of your favorite dressing, canned vegetables and so on, so you don’t have to spend the extra money on items that are overpriced. You should also pay attention to canned versus frozen items. For instance, frozen vegetables may seem like a great deal when you look at the price, but they don’t work for a lot of recipes. Generally, because the food is frozen they add more water to the dish, which could ruin some foods. Canned foods are usually only a few cents more, so make sure you know what you can and can’t use in regards to your recipes. Shopping around is another must when it comes to the holidays. Many stores will have different prices, so you might end up going to a few different places to get the best deals. In order to help you save time on this task you may consider buying a shopping app that will show you where your best options are, as well as if there is any available coupons.
4. Cheap Wine
If you plan on having alcohol at the event, you may want to keep the drinks limited to wine in order to save some money. Wine is one of the best beverages to buy if you want to save money because you can purchase it in bulk. For instance, there’s a lot of boxed wine that actually tastes great. Despite the stigma surrounding it, boxed wine is perfect if you’re serving a large group and will even allow you to afford a variety of wines to please your guests. You don’t have to limit yourself to boxed wine though. If you know of a cheaper wine brand that you enjoy then that may be the best road to take. Some stores will also offer amazing bulk deals on wine during this season, which could be an advantage too. However, if you’re not sure about the wine and the store doesn’t offer samples then you may want to skip out on the bulk deals just to be safe.
5. Serve Appetizers
When it comes to Thanksgiving, the amount of dishes you make can really add up, so if you want to cut down on the dishes you serve you might want to consider appetizers as a way to satisfy your guests’ appetites. Of course, appetizers are also great if your main form of entertainment is the holiday football game. This will allow everyone to stay happy, so you can concentrate on what’s going on in the kitchen. Appetizers are also great for kids that may be picky eaters. For appetizers, you can easily stick with your favorite party ideas, such as bread and dip or a veggie platter. There are lots of great Thanksgiving inspired appetizers too. If you’re looking for a more formal way to add an appetizer to the feast then soup is another option. You can serve soup as a first course to help fill up your guests before serving the main course. Soup is fairly inexpensive and can be stretched far.
6. Holiday Specials
Entertaining your guests doesn’t have to mean pouring lots of money into this aspect of the party. In fact, there’s a lot of holiday specials that are probably a part of the Thanksgiving tradition for many of your guests. For starters, in the morning the Macy’s Day Parade will captivate audiences of all ages until lunch time, which will give you time to spend in the kitchen. Thanksgiving is also known for the amazing holiday NFL games, which features a lot of favored teams. These games tend to start early and last until the evening, so you may be able to appease most of your guests for quite some time. For the kids, there’s also cartoon specials which seem to remain popular from generation to generation. It’s hard to forget the iconic dog show too, so you might want to see if anyone is interested before you set up a schedule. Of course, there should also be things to do in your hometown. For instance, you may have a parade, which could be a great gathering space for the party to begin or end.
7. Require RSVP
One of the hardest things about Thanksgiving is actually making enough food. With people coming and going, it’s tough to figure out how much you should make. If you make too much then you’ve clearly overspent and some of the leftovers will probably go to waste. If you don’t make enough then people will go hungry and may even be angry that you didn’t make enough to satisfy them. The best way to remedy this problem is to have people RSVP to your party. This will ensure that only your serious guests are going to be accounted for, so you’ll know how much to make. Even if someone does back out of the party after RSVPing, you won’t be out too much money. One of the easiest ways to do this is by using social media, or simply having your guests call or text to let you know if they are coming.
8. Skip the Disposables
Many hosts tend to opt for the cheaper paper plate and disposable items route because they think it will add to the convenience of the party. Ideally this would be okay, but after spending the money on the items you might be wondering if it truly was a good idea. Sure, it may seem cheap at first, but once the guests begin to eat things will shortly unravel. For example, most paper plates can’t hold up to the holiday foods, which means guests will have to use more than one plate, or their food may end up on the ground or table before they even get a chance to eat. Cutlery often poses a problem as the knives can’t cut through many of the dishes. Your guests will probably go through the tiny paper napkins like they’re going out of style too. So, you may want to just pull out your dishes and deal with the painstaking task of washing them. If you’re not sure you have enough dishes or cutlery, then ask around to see if you can borrow some, or try to find a great deal at a thrift store.
9. Pull Out the Games
If you’re low on ideas for entertainment then look no further than your game closet. Most guests will be more than happy to sit down and play a board game like they did when they were kids. If you have a lot of guests then it may be easier to set up a few different games and rotate. You can also do team games, like Pictionary or charades. If you don’t have a great selection for the kids then take to the internet. You can easily work up a game of pin the tail on the donkey or musical chairs without having to spend a small fortune. Another great idea is to have a checker or chess competition, to keep everyone engrossed in the game. Last but not least, cards are always a good option because you can mix up the games to span throughout the afternoon.
10. Stay Home
A lot of gatherings these days end with the group moving out to take a place in line for Black Friday shopping or Gray Thursday shopping. This can be one of the most expensive ways to end your Thanksgiving celebration. Generally, when people go out with friends they are more than likely going to spend more unless the group is there to support one another in not spending too much, which usually isn’t the case when it comes to the holiday sales. So, instead of calling it a night by prepping to shop, try to come up with a new solution for the season. For example, you could draw names for your upcoming Christmas party or you could take the time to share what you’re thankful for later in the party. There’s ample ways to entertain longer that will make your guests forget all about the crazed shopping that is happening around you.
Your Thanksgiving celebration doesn’t have to be a cause for concern this year. With a few frugal tips you should be able to find some amazing ways to keep everyone happy for a lot less than you think. Now, all you have to do is worry about the cooking because the financial burden should be put to rest.
